List of British republicans

Supporters of republicanism in the United Kingdom—replacing the country's monarchy with a republic—typically favour an elected head of state to a constitutional monarch who heads the British royal family.

Politicians (serving)

 * Rhun ap Iorwerth, MS, leader of Plaid Cymru
 * Jonathan Bartley, theologian and former co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales
 * Natalie Bennett, peer and former leader of the Green Party of England and Wales
 * Richard Burgon, MP (Labour)
 * Maggie Chapman, MSP (Scottish Greens)
 * Katy Clark, MSP (Scottish Labour), peer and former MP (Labour)
 * Tom Copley, Deputy Mayor of London for Housing and Residential Development and former AM (Labour Co-op)
 * Jeremy Corbyn, MP (Independent) and former leader of the Labour Party)
 * Mark Drakeford, MS, former leader of Welsh Labour and First Minister of Wales
 * Mark Ferguson, MP (Labour)
 * Stephen Flynn, MP (SNP)
 * George Foulkes, peer, former MP and MSP (Labour, Scottish Labour and Co-operative Party)
 * Christine Grahame, MSP (SNP)
 * Ross Greer, MSP (Scottish Greens)
 * Nia Griffith, MP (Labour)
 * John Griffiths, MS (Welsh Labour)
 * Llyr Gruffydd, MS (Plaid Cymru)
 * Peter Hain, peer and former MP (Labour)
 * Patrick Harvie, MSP and co-leader of the Scottish Greens
 * Elin Jones, MS (Plaid Cymru) and Llywydd (Presiding Officer) of the Senedd
 * Clive Lewis, MP (Labour)
 * Gillian Mackay, MSP (Scottish Greens)
 * John McDonnell, MP (Labour)
 * Paul McLennan, MSP (SNP)
 * Lisa Nandy, MP (Labour)
 * John Prescott, peer, former MP (Labour) and Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
 * Ash Regan, MSP (Alba; formerly SNP)
 * Ken Skates, MS (Welsh Labour)
 * Lorna Slater, MSP and co-leader of the Scottish Greens
 * Andy Slaughter, MP (Labour)
 * Cat Smith, MP (Labour)
 * Dick Taverne, peer (Liberal Democrats) and former MP (Labour, Democratic Labour)
 * Mercedes Villalba, MSP (Scottish Labour)
 * Humza Yousaf, MSP (SNP), former First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party

Politicians (former)

 * Norman Baker, former MP (Liberal Democrats)
 * John Biggs, former Labour mayor of Tower Hamlets
 * Mhairi Black, former MP (Scottish National Party)
 * Steven Bonnar, former MP (Scottish National Party)
 * Russell Brown, former MP (Labour)
 * Ronnie Campbell, former MP (Labour)
 * Michael Clapham, former MP (Labour)
 * David Crausby, former MP (Labour)
 * Roseanna Cunningham, former MSP (SNP)
 * Ian Davidson, former MP (Labour)
 * Ron Davies, former MP (Labour), Independent councillor and political activist (Plaid Cymru)
 * Emma Dent Coad, former MP (Labour)
 * Bill Etherington, former MP (Labour)
 * Linda Fabiani, former MSP (SNP)
 * George Galloway, former MP (Labour, Respect, Workers Party) and leader of the Workers Party
 * Rob Gibson, former MSP (SNP)
 * Roger Godsiff, former MP (Labour)
 * David Hanson, former MP (Labour)
 * Roy Hattersley, former MP (Labour) and peer
 * Derek Hatton, former deputy leader of Liverpool City Council (Labour)
 * John Heppell, former MP (Labour)
 * Kelvin Hopkins, former MP (Labour)
 * Julian Huppert, former MP (Liberal Democrats)
 * Brian Iddon, former MP (Labour)
 * Lynne Jones, former MP (Labour)
 * Rosie Kane, former MSP (Scottish Socialist Party)
 * Ken Livingstone, former mayor of London and Labour MP
 * Caroline Lucas, former MP and co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales
 * Andrew MacKinlay, former MP (Labour) and councillor (Liberal Democrats)
 * Denis MacShane, author and former MP (Labour)
 * Magid Magid, former MEP (Green Party of England and Wales) and Lord Mayor of Sheffield
 * Bob Marshall-Andrews, barrister and former MP (Labour)
 * John McAllion, former MP and MSP (Labour)
 * Natalie McGarry, former MP (SNP and Independent)
 * Jim McGovern, former MP (Labour)
 * Ann McKechin, former MP (Labour)
 * Anne McLaughlin, former MP (SNP)
 * Chris Mullin, former MP (Labour)
 * Doug Naysmith, former MP (Labour)
 * Stephen Pound, former MP (Labour)
 * Gordon Prentice, former MP (Labour)
 * Ken Ritchie, former Labour councillor, psephologist and founder of Labour for a Republic
 * Alex Salmond, former First Minister of Scotland (Alba; formerly SNP)
 * Phil Sawford, former MP (Labour)
 * Bethan Sayed, former MS (Plaid Cymru)
 * Tommy Sheppard, former MP (SNP)
 * Jim Sillars, former MP (Labour and SNP)
 * Dennis Skinner, former MP (Labour)
 * Adam Tomkins, former MSP (Conservative)
 * Jean Urquhart, former MSP (SNP and Independent)
 * Graham Watson, former MEP (Liberal Democrat)
 * Sandra White, former MSP (SNP)
 * Chris Williamson, former MP (Labour and Independent)
 * Bill Wilson, former MSP (SNP) and political activist (Scottish Greens)
 * Leanne Wood, former MS (former leader of Plaid Cymru)

Political activists

 * Tariq Ali, author and political activist
 * Jamie Bevan, Welsh language activist
 * Julie Bindel, writer and political activist
 * Catherine Mayer, author and co-founder of the Women's Equality Party
 * Alan McCombes, Scottish Socialist Party campaigner
 * Gareth Miles, Welsh language activist
 * Craig Murray, former diplomat and activist
 * Mike Small, Scottish author and activist
 * Peter Tatchell, gay rights campaigner
 * Kevin Williamson, Scottish writer and activist

Political staff and advisors

 * Alastair Campbell, political strategist, journalist and author
 * Philip Collins, journalist and former chief speechwriter to Tony Blair
 * Andrew Fisher, political adviser and consultant
 * Lance Price, writer, journalist and former political adviser to Tony Blair

Trade unionists

 * John Edmonds, former General Secretary of GMB Union
 * Mick Lynch, General Secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT)
 * Arthur Scargill, former trade union leader, leader of the Socialist Labour Party

Journalists and non-fiction writers

 * Yasmin Alibhai-Brown, columnist for The Independent
 * Jackie Ashley, journalist
 * Julian Baggini, philosopher and writer
 * Piers Brendon, historian and writer
 * Emma Brockes, author and journalist
 * Heather Brooke, journalist, writer and FOI activist
 * Julie Burchill, writer and columnist
 * Beatrix Campbell, journalist and author
 * Nick Cohen, columnist for The Observer
 * Michael Collins, writer and broadcaster
 * Robert Crampton, journalist (The Times)
 * Bill Emmott, former editor of The Economist
 * Otto English, author and journalist
 * Jonathan Freedland, journalist
 * Tanya Gold, journalist
 * Roy Greenslade, journalist and academic
 * Johann Hari, writer and journalist
 * Lester Holloway, journalist and former councillor (Labour)
 * Mick Hume, journalist
 * Owen Jones, journalist
 * Kitty Kelley, American journalist and author
 * Simon Kelner, journalist and former editor of The Independent
 * A. L. Kennedy, writer and academic
 * Philippe Legrain, economist and writer
 * Tim Lott, author
 * Iain Macwhirter, political commentator
 * Kevin Maguire, journalist
 * Kenan Malik, writer, lecturer and broadcaster
 * Andrew MacGregor Marshall, journalist
 * Allegra McEvedy, chef and food writer
 * Chris McLaughlin, journalist
 * Suzanne Moore, journalist
 * Tom Nairn, essayist
 * Brendan O'Neill, journalist
 * Susie Orbach, psychotherapist and writer
 * Stephen Pollard, author and journalist
 * Jay Rayner, food critic
 * Brian Reade, Daily Mirror columnist
 * Vicky Richardson, journalist
 * Paul Routledge, Daily Mirror journalist
 * Frances Ryan, journalist and political activist
 * Ash Sarkar, journalist and political activist
 * Miranda Sawyer, journalist
 * Mark Seddon, journalist
 * Will Self, journalist
 * Joan Smith, novelist, journalist and human rights activist
 * Polly Toynbee, columnist for The Guardian
 * Janice Turner, journalist and columnist for The Times
 * Francis Wheen, journalist, writer and broadcaster
 * Andreas Whittam Smith, journalist (co-founder and first editor of The Independent)
 * Peter Wilby, journalist
 * Gary Younge, journalist

Novelists and fiction authors

 * Philippa Gregory, novelist
 * Mark Haddon, novelist
 * James Kelman, novelist and playwright
 * Kathy Lette, novelist
 * John Niven, screenwriter and author
 * Caryl Phillips, novelist
 * Philip Pullman, author
 * Michèle Roberts, novelist and poet
 * Sara Sheridan, author and historical novelist
 * Zadie Smith, author
 * Jonathan Trigell, author

Broadcasters

 * Simon Fanshawe, writer and broadcaster
 * Mariella Frostrup, journalist and broadcaster
 * Julia Hartley-Brewer, radio presenter and political journalist
 * John Humphrys, radio and television presenter
 * Mark Kermode, film critic, journalist
 * Paul Mason, political commentator and author
 * Fiona Phillips, journalist and broadcaster
 * Amol Rajan, journalist and broadcaster
 * Lesley Riddoch, radio broadcaster, activist and journalist
 * Matthew Wright, broadcaster and journalist

Business people

 * Dawn Airey, media executive and sports administrator
 * Alan McGee, co-founder of Creation Records and Poptones
 * Tim Waterstone, founder of Waterstones bookshops and author

Actors

 * Steve Coogan, actor and comedian
 * Brian Cox
 * Ben Dover, pornographic actor
 * Christopher Eccleston
 * Colin Firth
 * Mark Gatiss, actor, comedian, screenwriter and novelist
 * Margot Leicester, actor
 * Paul McGann
 * Josh O'Connor
 * Daniel Radcliffe
 * Dougray Scott
 * Michael Sheen
 * Elaine C. Smith
 * Abigail Thorn, YouTuber, actress and playwright
 * Samuel West, actor and director

Comedians

 * Frankie Boyle, comedian and writer
 * Jo Brand
 * Robin Ince, comedian, actor and writer
 * Eddie Izzard, comedian, actor and writer
 * Lloyd Langford
 * Rob Newman
 * John Oliver, actor and comedian, host of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver
 * Mark Steel
 * Mark Thomas, comedian, author and activist
 * Tracey Ullman, actor and comedian
 * Henning Wehn

Singers, musicians and composers

 * James Dean Bradfield, lead vocalist and guitarist of the Manic Street Preachers
 * Ray Burns (Captain Sensible), musician
 * Adrian Fry, trombonist and arranger
 * Iona Fyfe, singer
 * Mark 'Barney' Greenway, singer
 * Paul Heaton, singer (The Beautiful South)
 * Pat Kane, musician (Hue and Cry), journalist and political activist
 * Sean Moore, musician (Manic Street Preachers)
 * Morrissey, singer-songwriter and author (formerly of The Smiths)
 * Craig Reid, musician (The Proclaimers)
 * Charlie Reid, musician (The Proclaimers)
 * Paul Simonon, musician (formerly of The Clash)
 * Robert Smith, musician (The Cure)
 * Paul Towndrow, saxophonist
 * Nicky Wire, musician (Manic Street Preachers)

Artists

 * Steve Bell, cartoonist
 * Peter Fluck, caricaturist and satirist
 * Mark McGowan, performance artist known as Chunky Mark and The Artist Taxi Driver
 * Ralph Steadman, cartoonist

Theatre and film directors

 * John Boorman, film director
 * Danny Boyle, Academy Award-winning film director
 * Richard Eyre, theatre and film director
 * Stephen Frears, film director and producer
 * Paul Greengrass, film director and screenwriter
 * Duncan Jones, film director, producer and screenwriter
 * Mike Leigh, writer and director of film and theatre
 * Ken Loach, film and television director

Screenwriters and playwrights

 * Alan Bissett, author and playwright
 * Jon Canter, television comedy writer
 * Maureen Chadwick, screenwriter, dramatist and television producer
 * Michael Frayn, author and playwright
 * David Hare, playwright
 * Julia Pascal, playwright and theatre director

Poets

 * Tony Harrison, poet, translator and playwright
 * Mike Jenkins
 * Patrick Jones, poet, playwright and filmmaker
 * Liz Lochhead, Makar (National Poet for Scotland) and essayist
 * Sean O'Brien, poet and critic
 * Michael Rosen, novelist and poet
 * Luke Wright

Sportspeople

 * Joey Barton, football manager and former footballer
 * Stan Collymore, former footballer
 * Frankie Dettori, Italian jockey
 * Brian Moore, former rugby union player

Legal professionals

 * Louise Christian, human rights lawyer
 * Imran Khan, lawyer
 * Michael Mansfield, KC
 * Geoffrey Robertson, KC
 * Clive Stafford Smith, lawyer and human rights campaigner

Academics

 * Kehinde Andrews, author and professor of Black Studies at Birmingham City University
 * Sophie Grace Chappell, philosopher
 * Richard Dawkins, evolutionary biologist and writer
 * Gregor Gall, writer and academic
 * Ted Honderich, academic and philosopher
 * Laura McAllister, Professor of Public Policy and the Governance of Wales at the Wales Governance Centre, Cardiff University
 * Steven Rose, scientist and writer
 * Quentin Skinner, academic and historian
 * Adam Tomkins, academic and former MSP (Scottish Conservatives)
 * Nigel Warburton, academic and philosopher

Religious figures

 * Pete Broadbent, former Bishop of Willesden

Politicians

 * Tony Banks (1942–2006), MP and peer (Labour)
 * Tony Benn (1925–2014), MP (Labour)
 * Charles Bradlaugh (1833–1891), MP (Liberal)
 * George Buchanan (1890–1955), MP (Labour)
 * William Cluse (1875–1955), MP (Labour)
 * Richard Crossman (1907–1974), MP (Labour) and editor of the New Statesman
 * Donald Dewar (1937–2000), Scottish Labour politician and First Minister of Scotland
 * Sir Charles Dilke (1843–1911), MP (Liberal)
 * Jack Dormand (1919–2003), MP and peer (Labour)
 * Raymond Fletcher (1921–1991), MP (Labour)
 * Paul Flynn (1935–2019), MP (Labour)
 * Michael Foot (1913–2010), MP (Labour) and Leader of the Opposition
 * Willie Gallacher (1881–1965), MP (Communist Party of Great Britain)
 * Arthur Greenwood (1880–1954), MP (Labour)
 * Willie Hamilton (1917–2000), MP (Labour)
 * George Hardie (1873–1937), MP (Labour)
 * Keir Hardie (1856–1915), MP and founder of the Labour Party
 * Emrys Hughes (1894–1969), MP (Labour) and journalist
 * Glenda Jackson (1936–2023), MP (Labour) and actress
 * William Keenan (1889–1955), MP (Labour)
 * George Lansbury (1859–1940), MP (Labour) and Leader of the Opposition
 * Margo MacDonald (1943–2014), MP and MSP (SNP)
 * David Marquand (1934–2024), academic, author and former MP (Labour)
 * James Maxton (1885–1946), MP (Independent Labour Party)
 * Valentine McEntee (1871–1953), MP (Labour)
 * John McGovern (1887–1968), MP (Labour)
 * Kevin McNamara (1934–2017), MP (Labour)
 * Michael Meacher (1939–2015), MP (Labour)
 * John Stuart Mill (1806–1873), MP (Liberal), philosopher and political economist
 * Peter Mond, 4th Baron Melchett (1948–2018), life peer (Labour) and campaigner
 * Mo Mowlam (1949–2005), MP (Labour) and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
 * Stan Orme (1923–2005), MP (Labour)
 * Gwilym Prys-Davies (1923–2017), peer (Labour)
 * Richard Rogers (1933–2021), peer (Labour) and architect
 * Alfred Salter (1873–1945), MP (Labour), 1925–45
 * Nancy Seear (1913–1997), peer and social scientist (Liberal, then Liberal Democrats)
 * Algernon Sidney (1623–1683), English politician and political theorist
 * Campbell Stephen (1884–1947), MP (Independent Labour Party)
 * Ernest Thurtle (1884–1954), MP (Labour)
 * Kay Ullrich (1943–2021), MSP (SNP)
 * Benjamin Vaughan (1751–1835), political economist and MP

Political activists, advisers and social reformers

 * Jeremy Bentham (1748–1832), philosopher, jurist and social reformer
 * Julian Cayo-Evans (1937–1995), Welsh political activist and leader of the Free Wales Army
 * Dennis Coslett (1939–2004), Welsh political activist (Free Wales Army) and author
 * Marcia Falkender (1932–2019), peer and private secretary to prime minister Harold Wilson
 * George William Foote (1850–1915), secularist and journal editor; secretary of the London Republican Club (1870) and National Republican League (1871)
 * John Frost (1750–1842), English radical
 * Stephen Maxwell (1942–2012), SNP activist
 * Trefor Morgan (1914–1970), Welsh nationalist activist
 * Thomas Muir of Huntershill (1765–1799), Scottish political reformer
 * Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–1797), feminist writer and philosopher

Journalists, authors and writers



 * J. G. Ballard (1930–2009), novelist
 * William Blake (1757–1827), writer and artist
 * Robert Burns (1759–1796), poet and lyricist
 * Carmen Callil (1938–2022), writer and publisher
 * John Cole (1927–2013), BBC political editor
 * Thomas Davison (1794–1826), journalist and publisher
 * A. A. Gill (1954–2016), journalist and critic
 * Thomas Gordon (c. 1691–1750), Scottish writer and Commonwealthman
 * Alasdair Gray (1934–2019), Scottish author
 * Barbara Hall (1923–2022), crossword compiler and writer
 * James Harrington (1611–1677), political theorist and author
 * Christopher Hitchens (1949–2011), author and columnist
 * Leonard Hobhouse (1864–1929), political theorist
 * Anthony Holden (1947–2023), writer, broadcaster and critic
 * Mervyn Jones (1922–2010), writer
 * Ethel Mannin (1900–1984), novelist and travel writer
 * Kingsley Martin (1897–1969), editor of the New Statesman, 1930–60
 * John Milton (1608–1674), poet
 * Edwin Morgan (1920–2010), Makar (National Poet for Scotland) and translator
 * Jan Morris (1926–2020), historian and writer
 * William Morris (1834–1896), writer and artist
 * Deborah Orr (1962–2019), journalist
 * Thomas Paine (1737–1809), English-American author and revolutionary
 * Ronald Payne (1926–2013), journalist and war correspondent
 * Edward Pearce (1939–2018), New Statesman contributor
 * Claire Rayner (1931–2010), journalist
 * George W. M. Reynolds (1814–1879), author and journalist
 * Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822), English Romantic poet
 * Sue Townsend (1946–2014), author (wrote the best-selling political satire The Queen and I in which Britain becomes a republic, later adapted as a TV drama on Sky One, and its sequel, Queen Camilla (novel))
 * H. G. Wells (1866–1946), writer
 * Peter Whelan (1931–2014), playwright
 * Gwyn A. Williams (1925–1995), historian
 * Benjamin Zephaniah (1958–2023), poet

Singers, musicians and composers

 * Shane MacGowan (1957–2023), singer and songwriter (The Pogues)
 * Robert Simpson (1921–1997), composer

Actors

 * Honor Blackman (1925–2020)
 * Andrew Ray (1939–2003), actor who played the Duke of York (George VI) in Edward and Mrs Simpson and the Duke of Windsor (Edward VIII) in Passion and Paradise

Artists

 * Terence Conran (1931–2020), designer and restaurateur
 * William James Linton (1812–1897), wood-engraver and author

Legal professionals

 * Anthony Scrivener (1935–2015), QC
 * Nathaniel Wade (c. 1666?–1718), English lawyer

Academics

 * Patrick Collinson (1929–2011), historian
 * Bernard Crick (1929–2008), academic and political philosopher
 * Stephen Haseler (1942–2017), professor, author

Military personnel

 * Robert Overton (c. 1609–1678), English soldier and scholar
 * John Lawson (ca. 1615–1665), naval officer

Religious figures

 * Joseph Fawcett (c. 1758–1804), English Presbyterian minister and poet
 * Donald Soper (1903–1998), Methodist minister and peer (Labour)

Media figures

 * Max Clifford (1943–2017), publicist
 * Tony Garnett (1936–2020), television producer

Other public figures

 * Nicholas Culpeper (1616–1654), botanist, herbalist, physician and astrologer

Groups

 * Breakthrough Party
 * Green Party of England and Wales
 * Republic
 * Labour for a Republic
 * Our Republic
 * Scottish Greens
 * Scottish Socialist Party
 * Scottish Republican Socialist Movement